The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking down the Luke McCaffrey commitment

By

The 2021 Rice football recruiting class picked up its marquee player this week with the addition of former Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey.

Luke McCaffrey, a bonafide blue-chip quarterback recruit, has decided to don the Blue and Gray and play for Rice football. That decision will have ripple effects on the Owls and Conference USA, starting with the impact McCaffrey’s arrival will have on the overall talent level of the Rice roster.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

The Roost has you covered in season and throughout the offseason. Get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one. Subscribe on Patreon and unlock them all today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

BREAKING: Transfer Quarterback Luke McCaffrey commits to Rice football

By

Rice Football has a quarterback. Former Nebraska signal-caller Luke McCaffrey has committed to play for the Owls.

On the surface, the Rice football roster looks more or less complete. The Owls have one of the best defenses in Conference USA. They’ve got talented wide receivers, a couple of good running backs and an offensive line that’s been reasonably effective. What they’ve lacked, for multiple years now, is a surefire quarterback. Enter Luke McCaffrey.

McCaffrey’s college football career began in 2019 with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He played in 11 games over two seasons in Lincoln, throwing for 608 yards and three touchdowns with six interceptions. He added 540 yards and four touchdowns with his legs. He would later transfer from Nebraska to Louisville, but shortly after arriving on campus at Louisville, decided the fit wasn’t right for him.

It was at that point the Owls swooped in. Head coach Mike Bloomgren coached Luke’s older brother, Panthers’ running back Christian McCaffrey, while the two were at Stanford. That connection, combined with McCaffrey’s interest to start and the Owls nebulous quarterback situation, made for a perfect pairing between McCaffrey and Rice.

At the time of his original recruitment, McCaffrey was the No. 1 athlete in the state of Colorado, the No. 13 athlete in the nation and a four-star rated recruit. From a pure composite score perspective, when McCaffrey takes his first snap he’ll become the most highly-rated player to ever play for Rice football. That distinction is currently held by safety Gabe Taylor, who took over the top spot last season.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

McCaffrey instantly becomes the favorite to be the quarterback for the Owls in 2021. He’ll have to get caught up on the playbook and work diligently to understand the scheme, but his talent level, particularly as a runner, has the potential to revolutionize the Rice offense. This was a big get for the Owls.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: Where are 2018 decommits now?

By

There were a host of decommitments in the 2018 Rice Football recruiting class. Where are those players now? Did the Owls miss out or luck out?

The 2018 Rice football recruiting class was impacted by the biggest transition Rice had seen in more than a decade. On November 27, the Owls dismissed head coach David Bailiff. The Owls lost several commits after that decision and a few in the months and weeks before.

According to 247 Sports, Rice had nine decommitments during the cycle. Where are those players now?

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

The Roost has you covered in season and throughout the offseason. Get access to all spring practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one. Subscribe on Patreon and unlock them all today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2022 DL Chibby Nwajuaku commits to Owls

By

The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class has doubled in size, securing a big commitment from defensive lineman Chibby Nwajuaku.

Sometimes you know what you want. While the offer count for the 2022 Rice football recruiting class continues to be modest, the focus on building on areas of strength has remained a focal point of the Owls’ efforts. Rice has now doubled down in the trenches, picking up their second commitment, defensive lineman Chibby Nwajuaku.

Nwajuaku joins fellow defensive lineman Davion Carter as the initial members of the 2022 Rice football recruiting class. His addition represents the second commitment for Rice in as many months.

To earn Nwajuaku’s pledge Rice beat out offers from a dozen other programs including the ACC’s Wake Forest as well as fellow in-state conference foe UTSA. The Owls have recruited nationally under head coach Mike Bloomgren but they remain committed to bringing in the right pieces from the Lone Star State, too. They didn’t have to go far to land Nwajuaku, who played his high school ball at Cy Ranch.

With Nwajuaku and Carter in the fold, Rice boasts an elite tandem up front. They’ll one day be tasked with picking up the mantle of a series of high-end players that have come before them like current interior defenders Elijah Garcia and DeBraylon Carroll. Going from strength to strength is how programs sustain success, and it’s no mistake these two players were early targets in this cycle.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Nwajuaku can line up across the defensive front, giving opposing offenses headaches all throughout high school. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, he’s a menacing force off the edge that can pick up steam and drive offensive lineman back with force. He also plays with incredible poise. He knows when to watch the play develop and displays impressive closing speed after he’s diagnosed where the ball is going.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2022 class flyover entering the summer

By

The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class is approaching May with one commitment secured. Here’s the 10,000-foot view of the class so far.

The summer is near and the 2022 Rice football recruiting class is progressing, mostly behind the scenes. Rice has one commitment so far and only a handful of offers. Here’s a quick update on what the Owls have been up to over the last few weeks and the outlook for what their plans could be as the summer nears.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?

 

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts